DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, claims 1-15, in the reply filed on 6/23/25 is acknowledged.
Claim Interpretation
The phrase “sharp-edge contact” will be interpreted as defined in paragraph 0023 of the speciation to mean “a “pointed” (not flat) contact between the tappet portion and the nozzle portion.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 6-10, and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Fliess et al. (US 2015/0267728 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Fliess discloses:
A solder jetting head [system (3); 0002 and figures 1-4] for depositing a solder paste onto a target surface, comprising:
a tappet portion [plunger (21); figure 3] driven to provide a striking force; and
a nozzle portion [holding arrangement (58) which comprises opening (19)] for forming an enclosing contact with the tappet portion, so as to force the solder paste to exit from a nozzle opening of the nozzle portion [0076],
wherein the nozzle portion and the tappet portion are configured to have a sharp-edge contact with each other when forming the enclosing contact [the plunger has the sharp-edge so a sharp edge contact is formed when cavity (19) is formed].
Concerning any claimed results, materials, and/or functions:
Since the prior art apparatus, i.e. the apparatus based on the prior art reference above, is structurally identical to the claimed apparatus, it is the examiner’s position that the prior art apparatus is capable of achieving any claimed function with any claimed material to achieve any claimed result. This reasoning applies to any claim below where functional language, material worked upon, and/or a result is claimed.
Regarding claim 2, Fliess discloses:
wherein the nozzle portion and the tappet portion are configured to have a circular line contact with each other when forming the enclosing contact [figure 5 shows the components are circular].
Regarding claim 3, Fliess discloses:
wherein a shape of the tappet portion is configured so that the circular line contact is created when forming the enclosing contact [see figures 3 and 4].
Regarding claim 4, Fliess discloses:
wherein a striking end of the tappet portion is configured to have a flat surface [figure 3].
Regarding claim 6, Fliess discloses:
wherein a shape of the nozzle portion is configured so that the circular line contact is created when forming the enclosing contact [figures 3 and 4].
Regarding claim 7, Fliess discloses:
wherein a striking surface [diagonal surface of the holding arrangement that the plunger contacts] of the nozzle portion is configured to have a cone shape [figure 3].
Regarding claim 8, Fliess discloses:
wherein a striking surface [diagonal surface of the holding arrangement that the plunger contacts] of the nozzle portion is configured to have a flat surface shape, and the nozzle opening has a sharp edge [opening (19) shares a corner/sharp edge with the diagonal surface] with respect to the flat-surface shaped striking surface of the nozzle portion.
Regarding claim 9, Fliess discloses:
further comprising a support portion for supporting the nozzle portion [the unlabeled component that surrounds holding arrangement (58)].
Regarding claim 10, Fliess discloses:
A dispensing system [system (3); 0002 and figures 1-4] for depositing a solder paste onto a target surface of a workpiece, the dispensing system comprising:
a support structure for supporting the workpiece during a dispensing operation [there is inherently a support structure since a workpiece cannot magically float]; and
a solder jetting head [nozzle (1)] for dispensing the solder paste onto the target surface, the solder jetting head including
a tappet portion [plunger (21); figure 3] to provide a striking force and
a nozzle portion [holding arrangement (58) which comprises opening (19)] for forming an enclosing contact [cavity (17)] with the tappet portion, so as to force the solder paste to exit from a nozzle opening of the nozzle portion [0079],
the tappet portion and the nozzle portion configured to have a sharp-edge contact with each other when forming the enclosing contact [see figure 3].
Regarding claim 12, Fliess discloses:
further comprising a solder supply [material reservoir (7)] for providing solder [solder paste; 0002] to the solder jetting head.
Regarding claim 13, Fliess discloses:
wherein the nozzle portion and the tappet portion are configured to have a circular line contact with each other when forming the enclosing contact [figures 3 and 4].
Regarding claims 14 and 15, Fliess discloses:
wherein a shape of the tappet/nozzle portion is configured so that the circular line contact is created when forming the enclosing contact [figures 3 and 4].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-3, 5, 6, and 9-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Ahmadi (US 2007/0145164 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ahmadi discloses:
A solder jetting head [jetting dispenser (10); 0023 and figure] for depositing a solder paste onto a target surface, comprising:
a tappet portion [valve member (24)] driven to provide a striking force; and
a nozzle portion [portion of housing (12) that contains valve seat (20) and channel outlet (18)] for forming an enclosing contact with the tappet portion [since first end (24) is semi-spherical it will make circular enclosing contact with the channel outlet in order to prevent material from leaking], so as to force the solder paste to exit from a nozzle opening of the nozzle portion [0023],
wherein the nozzle portion and the tappet portion are configured to have a sharp-edge contact with each other when forming the enclosing contact [the portion has the sharp-edge so a sharp edge contact is formed when first end (24) makes contact with the valve seat].
Should the applicant prove that enclosing contact is not made, then it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the first end spherical and the channel outlet cylindrical to achieve circular enclosing contact in order to prevent leaking.
Regarding claims 2, 3, 5, and 6, these are addressed in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, Ahmadi discloses:
further comprising a support portion for supporting the nozzle portion [the remainder of the housing].
Regarding claim 10, Ahmadi discloses:
A dispensing system for depositing a solder paste onto a target surface of a workpiece, the dispensing system comprising:
a support structure for supporting the workpiece during a dispensing operation [there is inherently a support structure since a workpiece cannot magically float]; and
a solder jetting head [jetting dispenser (10); 0023 and figure 2] for dispensing the solder paste onto the target surface, the solder jetting head including
a tappet portion [valve member (24)] to provide a striking force and
a nozzle portion [portion of housing (12) that contains valve seat (20) and channel outlet (18)] for forming an enclosing contact with the tappet portion [since first end (24) is semi-spherical it will make circular enclosing contact with the channel outlet in order to prevent material from leaking], so as to force the solder paste to exit from a nozzle opening of the nozzle portion [0023],
the tappet portion and the nozzle portion configured to have a sharp-edge contact with each other when forming the enclosing contact [the portion has the sharp-edge so a sharp edge contact is formed when the first end makes contact with the valve seat/channel outlet].
Should the applicant prove that enclosing contact is not made, then it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the first end spherical and the channel outlet cylindrical to achieve a circular enclosing contact in order to prevent leaking.
Regarding claim 11, Ahmadi discloses:
further comprising a motion system for moving the solder jetting head with respect to the support structure [0003].
Regarding claim 12, Ahmadi discloses:
further comprising a solder supply [supply device (70)] for providing solder to the solder jetting head [0023].
Regarding claims 13, 14, and 15, these are addressed in the rejection of claim 11.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fliess et al. (US 2015/0267728 A1) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Ahmadi et al. (US 2007/0145164 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Fliess does not teach:
further comprising a motion system for moving the solder jetting head with respect to the support structure.
Ahmadi teaches jetting dispenser (10) wherein it is mounted on a movable platform; ([0003] and figures 1 and 2.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to mount the Fliess system on a movable platform in order to provide automated and accurate movement of the system in three dimensions relative to the substrate.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure; see PTO 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS J GAMINO whose telephone number is (571)270-5826. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at 5712723458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CARLOS J GAMINO/Examiner, Art Unit 1735
/KEITH WALKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1735